Wearable joint driving device

Abstract

Provided is a wearable joint driving device in which a plurality of frame members are attached to a wearing body so as to be in contact with the outer surface of the wearing body. Between the frame members, there is mounted a fluid pressure type actuator. The fluid pressure type actuator has an expansion/contraction member and a net-like covering member covering the outer periphery of the expansion/contraction member. The fluid pressure type actuator undergoes a reduction in length through expansion of the expansion/contraction member to thereby generate a driving force. The frame members have a predetermined level of rigidity.

1. A wearable joint driving device comprising:
 a main frame attachable to a main part of a human body to surround the main part; 
 a cylindrical rotatable frame connected to the main frame through a rotation mechanism to be rotatable in a bending direction of a joint portion of the human body, the rotatable frame being formed by a material having a predetermined rigidity; 
 at least one fluid pressure actuator having an expansion/contraction member undergoing expansion/contraction through supply/discharge of a fluid and a covering net covering an outer periphery of the expansion/contraction member, end portions of the fluid pressure type actuator being connected to the main frame and the rotatable frame, the expansion/contraction member being reduced in length through expansion to thereby generate a driving force; and 
 a control unit for controlling supply and discharge of the fluid to and from the fluid pressure actuator. 
 
   
   
     2. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the main frame includes a torso frame attachable to the torso of the human body and a shoulder frame rotatably connected to the torso frame, and 
 the rotatable frame includes an upper arm frame rotatably connected to the shoulder frame. 
 
   
   
     3. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 2 , wherein the torso frame includes a torso frame main body supported by a shoulder portion and a back portion of the torso, and a chest frame connected to the torso frame main body to be capable of opening and closing and in contact with a chest portion of the torso. 
   
   
     4. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 a shoulder frame rotation mechanism for rotating the shoulder frame relative to the torso frame is provided between the torso frame main body and the shoulder frame, and 
 the fluid pressure type actuators are further connected between a back portion of the torso frame and the shoulder frame and between the chest frame and the shoulder frame. 
 
   
   
     5. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 4 , wherein the shoulder frame rotation mechanism has:
 a shaft provided at a shoulder portion of the torso frame; 
 a first rotating member rotatably provided at the shaft; and 
 a shoulder frame supporting member connected to the first rotating member for rotating the shoulder frame in a plane intersecting a rotating plane of the first rotating member. 
 
   
   
     6. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the rotatable frame further includes a cylindrical forearm frame rotatably connected to a tip portion of the upper arm frame, and 
 the fluid pressure type actuator is further connected between the upper arm frame and the forearm frame. 
 
   
   
     7. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 6 , wherein a forearm frame rotation mechanism and the fluid pressure type actuators for bending, stretching and twisting the forearm frame relative to the upper arm frame are provided between the upper arm frame and the forearm frame. 
   
   
     8. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 7 , wherein the forearm frame rotation mechanism has:
 a first ring member rotatably fit-engaged with the upper arm frame; and 
 a pair of link bodies for rotatably connecting the first ring member with the forearm frame. 
 
   
   
     9. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 8 , wherein each link body has a first link member connected to the first ring member and a second link member connected to the forearm frame, the first and second link members being rotatably connected to each other. 
   
   
     10. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 7 , wherein the fluid pressure type actuator for twisting the forearm frame relative to the upper arm frame is arranged so as to be wrapped around the upper arm frame and the first ring member. 
   
   
     11. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 an upper arm frame rotation mechanism for rotating the upper arm frame relative to the shoulder frame in the up and down direction and the back and forth direction is provided between the shoulder frame and the upper arm frame; and 
 the fluid pressure type actuators are connected between the torso frame and the upper arm frame and between the shoulder frame and the upper arm frame. 
 
   
   
     12. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 11 , wherein the upper arm frame rotation mechanism has:
 a second ring member rotatably fit-engaged with the cylindrical shoulder frame; and 
 a pair of belts for rotatably connecting the second ring member with the upper arm frame. 
 
   
   
     13. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 11 , wherein the fluid pressure type actuator for rotating the upper arm frame in the back and forth direction is arranged between the shoulder frame and the second ring member so as to be wrapped around the shoulder frame and the second ring member. 
   
   
     14. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 a protrusion is provided at a back portion of the torso frame; and 
 the fluid pressure type actuator is connected between the protrusion and the upper frame. 
 
   
   
     15. A wearable joint driving device worn by a driven body having first and second wearing members and a joint portion rotatably connecting the first and second wearing members to drive the joint portion, the wearable joint driving device comprising:
 a first frame member to be attached to the first wearing member; 
 a second frame member to be attached to the second wearing member; 
 a rotation support member rotatably connected to the first frame member; 
 a second frame member actuator provided between at least one of the first frame member and the rotation support member and the second frame member and adapted to rotate the second frame member with respect to the first frame member; and 
 a support member actuator provided between the first frame member and the rotation support member and adapted to rotate the rotation support member with respect to the first frame member, 
 wherein the second frame member actuator and the support member actuator are fluid pressure type actuators respectively having an expansion/contraction member undergoing expansion/contraction through supply/discharge of a fluid and a net member covering an outer periphery of the expansion/contraction member, the expansion/contraction member being reduced in length through expansion to generate a driving force, 
 wherein the second frame member is rotated from a first position to a second position by the driving force of the second frame member actuator, and 
 wherein, by driving the support member actuator with the second frame member being at the second position, the second frame member is rotated together with the rotation support member, whereby the second frame member is rotated to a third position where the angle the second frame member makes with the first position is larger than that when the second frame member is at the second position. 
 
   
   
     16. The wearable joint driving device according to  claim 15 , wherein the first wearing member is a torso, the second wearing member is an upper arm, and the joint portion is a shoulder joint portion,
 wherein the first frame member is a torso frame to be attached to the torso, the second frame member is an upper arm frame to be attached to the upper arm, and the rotation support member is a shoulder frame rotatably connected to the torso frame.